Waterproof garment



1,4723% w. L. FRY

WATERPROOF GARMENT Filed Dec. 14, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A (FEM M7, 4 M.

6] vwewiiov @ct. 30 1923. EA'ZZBEQ 1 W. 1.. FRY

WATERPROOF GARMENT Filed Dec. 14, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented @ct.39, 1923..

HE SITES WALTER L. FRY, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

we rnarnoor' GARMENT.

Application filed December 14, 1918.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WALTER L. FRY, a citizen of the .United States, anda resident of New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester and State ofNew Yorlnhave invented an Improvement in Waterproof Garments, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to waterproof protective garments, and moreparticularly to such as are adapted to serve as lifesaving suits which,in conjunction with any suit able buoyancy-imparting means, are designedand intended not only to keep the persons using the same afloat in thewater, but also to protect such persons from exposure to cold anddampness and to keep them dry.

It is the object'of the present invention to provide garments of thecharacter specified which will be simple and economical-in construction,easy and expeditious to apply, and convenient and efficient in use.

For purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of myinvention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of the garment in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same in position on the wearer butpartly open;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the garment from a different angle;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the garment in extended position;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the garment being put on;

Fig.6 is a detail view of the neck portion;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views showing the clamping device.

While various materials may be employed for making the device of myinvention, I prefer to use a light weight rubberized or similarwaterproof material, which serves also as an eflicient insulator toconserve the heat values of the body of the user while wearing thegarment, whereby I am enabled to prevent exposure to cold and dampness.

In one of its preferred forms, here shown by way of example merely, thelife-saving device of my invention comprises a unitary, waterproofgarment consisting of a trunk portion 1 having body-fitting shoulderportions i, arm portions 2, and leg portions 3. Preferably the legportions 3 are provided with foot-receiving portions 5, while armportions 2 are provided with the mittens or Serial No. 266,674.

other hand-receiving portions 6. Or, if desired, as shown in Figs. 4 and5, the arm portions, here indicated by reference character 2, may beprovided with the elastic, selfsealing wrist-pieces 6.

In the form here illustrated, the garment may be associated withbuoyancy-impart ing means,which may or may not be made a part of suchgarment. For example, as here shown, I may use an ordinary life-'prcserver, put on under or over the garment, and attached orunattached to the same, here shown as attached under the garment, inorder to give the garment the desired degree of buoyancy. As here shown,a life-preserver 7 is illustrated attached, as by means of the strips 8,to the body of the user under the garment.

Attached to the trunk portion 1, as by means of the waterproot'ed scamsor joints 9, is a body-admitting portion 10, comprising, preferably, atubular, upwardlyprojecting member sufliciently large in cross sectionand having a body-admitting opening 11 of suflicient 'size to freelyadmit the body of the wearer of the garment. For the purpose ofsubsequently closing the body-admitting opening 11 of the member 10,after the user of the garment has put the same on, I provide anysuitable closing means, such as the clamp 12, for example.

In order to render the body-admitting portion 10 of the garmentwatertight, I prefer to have the upper edge along the inner side of theportion 10 adhesive, as at 12 preferably by having the rubber or similarcoating on this part of the garment of a gummy or sticky consistency.This renders the opening of the body-admitting portion self-sealing,especially in co-operation with the clamp 12. The body-admitting portion10 is, however, readily opened again by exerting a moderate pull on thefolds of the same.

As already stated, the bodyndmitting )ortion 10 extends substantiallyupwardly, that is, longitudinally of the garment as a whole andcollinearly with the same. This is a distinctly advantageous feature,greatly facilitating the application of the garment and rendering theconstruction of the same simple and economical.

Associated with the body-admitting por tion 10, is a neck portion 13provided with a head aperture 14:. The material of the neck portion 13is made of a heavy material of comparatively little elasticity adjacentthe body-admitting portion 10, as at 18. On

the other hand, the material immediatelyj adjacent the aperture-M ismade of a light weight material of comparatively great elasticity, sothat a snug, watertight fit about the neck of the wearer is thus readilyob-' tained, Without any tendency to stifle or choke the wearer.Furthermore this construction of the neck portion '13 enables such neckortion to readily accommodate itself t0 ne'c s of different sizes, sothat the numposel prefer to make the member 13 of comparatively thickrubber of little elasticity, while the member 14 is made of thin rubberof comparatively great elasticity. Preferably, also, a hood is providedto shield the head of 'the wearer, said hood 22 being attached by meansof joints 17 to the neck portion 13 0f the garment A'.

I provide, also, lapel or'flap portions 20 which are so disposed thatwhen the garment has been applied,'on closing the flaps, as by means ofstraps 21, the suit will snugly fit the body and will have a neat,compact appearance, and will properly protect the portion lO-providedwith the aperture 11.

The manner of using the garment described above will be substantiallyclear from the foregoing description, The gar ment is put on by passingthe body through the aperture 11 of the body-admitting portion 10. Thisis renderedeasy and convenient by the longitudinal disposition of thebody-admitting portion 10. After the trunk, arm and leg portions havebeen properly applied, the head of the wearer is passed through the neckportion 13. The clamp 12 is then applied to the gathered folds of theportion 10, and portion 10 itself 7 is given a few turns and folded up,so as to take up but little room, preferably, against the chest of thewearer. Theflaps 20 are then drawn in and strapped together, afterwhich-the hood 22 may be put on.

It is, of course, to be understood that my invention is not-to belimited to the specific embodiment thereof herein shown and describedfor purpose of illustration only. It

is alsoto be understood that as shown by the dotted lines indicated byreference characters 10', 10 in Fig. 1, the body-admitting portion 10 isjoined to the trunkportion 1 along the 'lines 10, 10", so that the jointdesignated by reference character 10 will .lie across and on top of theshoulders of the wearer. 'Thisioonstructio-n is of considerablepractical importance .lnenabling the gar-g ti-ously. What I claim is:

ment'to beapplied conveniently and expedie 1. A unitar "water roofarment comprising.- trunk, leg, arm, and shoulder-fitting portions, anda body-admitting portion attached to said "trunk portion, said body=admitting portion comprising a hollow, tubular member attached'to saidtrunk portion so as to normally extend substantially longitudinally of.the garment, the inner surface of said body-admitting portionbeingsubstantially adhesive adjacent to the bodyadmitting opening of saidportion, to thereby provide a substantially self-sealing closure whenthe garment is in position on the wearer.

2. A unitary waterproof garment com prising trunk, leg, arm, andshoulder fitting portions, and a body-admitting portion at: tached to.said trunk portion, said body-admitting portion comprising a hollow,tubua lar member attached to said trunk portion so as tonormally extendsubstantially longitudinally of the garment, said body-admitting portionbeing provided' with a neck portion adjacent to the back of-the trunkportion, the inner surface of said body-admitting portion beingsubstantially adhesive adjacent to the body-admittingopeningof saidportion, to thereby. provide a'substantially self-sealing closurewhenthegarment 1s in position on the wearer.

3. A unitary waterproof garment: comprising trunk, leg, arm, and shoulder-fitting paratively great elasticity, the inner surface of saidbody-admitting portion being substantially adhesive adjacent to thebody-ad.-

portions, and a body-admitting portionattached to saidtrunk portion,said body-ad mitting opening ofsaid portion, to thereby provide asubstantially self-sealing closure when the garment is in position onthe wearer.

Ill

4. A unitary waterproof garment comprising trunk, leg. arm, andshoulder-fitting portions, and a body-admitting portion at tached tosaid trunk portion, said body-admitting portion comprising a hollow,tubusisting of a base portion of comparatively little elasticity and aneck-fitting portion of comparatively great elasticity, the innersurface of said body-admitting portion being substantially adhesiveadjacent to the body- 1 admitting opening of said portion, to therebyprovide a substantially self-sealing closure when the garment is inposition on the wearer.

5. A unitary waterproof garment comprising trunk, leg, arm, andshoulder-fitting portions, and a body-admitting portion attached to saidtrunk portion, said body-admitting portion comprising a hollow, tubularmember attached to said trunk portion so as to normally extendsubstantially longitudinally of the garment, said body-admitting portionbeing attached to said trunk portion on a line which liesalong and ontop of the shoulders of the wearer when the garment is in position.

6. A unitary waterproof garment comprising trunk, leg, arm, andshoulder-fitting portions, and a body-admitting portion attached to saidtrunk portion, said body-admitting portion comprising a hollow, tubuarmember attached to said trunk portion so as to normally extendsubstantially longitudinally of the garment, said body-admitting portionbeing provided with a neck portion adjacent to the back of the trunkportion, said body-admitting portion being attached to said trunkportion on a line which lies along and on top of the shoulders of thewearer when the garment is in position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification thisth day of December 1918.

Y WALTER L. FRY.

